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New Delhi: Manmohan Singh, who is credited with successfully anchoring the sinking ship of the Indian economy by ushering in bold economic reforms under Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, died at the age of 92 on Thursday. When Singh took the reins of the Finance Ministry in 1991, India’s fiscal deficit was close to 8.5 per cent of the GDP, the balance of payments deficit was huge and the current account deficit was close to 3.5 per cent of GDP. To make things worse, foreign reserves were just enough to pay for two weeks of imports indicating that the Indian economy was in deep crisis. Against this backdrop, the new economic era was brought in through the Union Budget 1991-92 presented by Singh. It was a turning point in the economic history of independent India which witnessed bold economic reforms, abolition of licence raj and opening of many sectors to private players and foreign players so that capital could flow in. He is credited with putting India on the new economic policy path which allowed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), rupee devaluation, moderation in taxes, and privatisation of public sector companies. His role in ushering in a comprehensive policy of economic reforms is now recognized worldwide. “I present to you the budget of 1991-92”, Singh had said when he stood to present the iconic union budget that took the Indian economy into the direction of liberalisation, globalisation and privatisation. The budget marked a significant shift towards a markets-focused economy. This paved the way for rapid economic growth in the decades that followed. “No power on Earth can stop an idea whose time has come,” Singh had said, as he concluded his Budget speech. Under his tenure, the regulations on import and export were relaxed, and significant changes were made to cater to the needs of businesses. The initiatives taken during his tenure resulted in monumental growth of the services sector especially IT and telecom. On the capital market side, the establishment of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in 1992 was another highlight of his regime. He continued as the Finance Minister till 1996, when the Rao government was voted out. Singh got another chance in May 2004 to serve the country, this time as the Prime Minister of India. He replaced Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the 14th Prime Minister of the country. In the new avatar, Singh carried forward the ideas of economic liberalisation in 1991 as this path was now tried and tested. In 2007, India achieved its highest GDP growth rate of 9 per cent and became the second fastest-growing major economy in the world. During his tenure as Prime Minister, the Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was enacted in 2005 to deal with rural distress and perk up income. Indirect tax reforms were introduced by ushering in the value added tax, replacing sales tax. Besides, a Rs 76,000 crore farm debt waiver and debt relief scheme was implemented across the country which benefited crores of farmers. He also steered the nation during the 2008 global financial meltdown and announced a huge stimulus package to deal with the situation. Aadhaar was introduced through the Unique Identification Authority of India during his tenure as prime minister for targetted subsidy transfer. Direct Benefit Transfers for many schemes were announced under his leadership. He also promoted financial inclusion in a big way and many bank branches were opened during his tenure as the Prime Minister. Other reforms like the Right to Food and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act were enacted during his regime.
The slump in the number of people heading to the shops during Boxing Day sales signals a return to declining pre-pandemic levels, an analyst has said. Boxing Day shopper footfall was down 7.9% from last year across all UK retail destinations up until 5pm, MRI Software’s OnLocation Footfall Index found. However, this year’s data had been compared with an unusual spike in footfall as 2023 was the first “proper Christmas” period without Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, an analyst at the retail technology company said. It found £4.6 billion will be spent overall on the festive sales. Before the pandemic the number of Boxing Day shoppers on the streets had been declining year on year. The last uplift recorded by MRI was in 2015. Jenni Matthews, marketing and insights director at MRI Software, told the PA news agency: “We’ve got to bear in mind that (last year) was our first proper Christmas without any (Covid-19) restrictions or limitations. “Figures have come out that things have stabilised, we’re almost back to what we saw pre-pandemic.” There were year-on-year declines in footfall anywhere between 5% and 12% before Covid-19 restrictions, she said. MRI found 12% fewer people were out shopping on Boxing Day in 2019 than in 2018, and there were 3% fewer in 2018 than in 2017, Ms Matthews added. She said: “It’s the shift to online shopping, it’s the convenience, you’ve got the family days that take place on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.” People are also increasingly stocking-up before Christmas, Ms Matthews said, and MRI found an 18% increase in footfall at all UK retail destinations on Christmas Eve this year compared with 2023. Ms Matthews said: “We see the shops are full of people all the way up to Christmas Eve, so they’ve probably got a couple of good days of food, goodies, everything that they need, and they don’t really need to go out again until later on in that week. “We did see that big boost on Christmas Eve. It looks like shoppers may have concentrated much of their spending in that pre-Christmas rush.” Many online sales kicked off between December 23 and the night of Christmas Day and “a lot of people would have grabbed those bargains from the comfort of their own home”, she said. She added: “I feel like it’s becoming more and more common that people are grabbing the bargains pre-Christmas.” Footfall is expected to rise on December 27 as people emerge from family visits and shops re-open, including Next, Marks and Spencer and John Lewis that all shut for Boxing Day. It will also be payday for some as it is the last Friday of the month. A study by Barclays Consumer Spend had forecast that shoppers would spend £236 each on average in the Boxing Day sales this year, but that the majority of purchases would be made online. Nearly half of respondents said the cost-of-living crisis will affect their post-Christmas shopping but the forecast average spend is still £50 more per person than it was before the pandemic, with some of that figure because of inflation, Barclays said. Amid the financial pressures, many people are planning to buy practical, perishable and essential items such as food and kitchenware. A total of 65% of shoppers are expecting to spend the majority of their sales budget online. Last year, Barclays found 63.9% of Boxing Day retail purchases were made online. However, a quarter of respondents aim to spend mostly in store – an 11% rise compared with last year. Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays, said: “Despite the ongoing cost-of-living pressures, it is encouraging to hear that consumers will be actively participating in the post-Christmas sales. “This year, we’re likely to see a shift towards practicality and sustainability, with more shoppers looking to bag bargains on kitchen appliances and second-hand goods.” Consumers choose in-store shopping largely because they enjoy the social aspect and touching items before they buy, Barclays said, adding that high streets and shopping centres are the most popular destinations.Eva Longoria spent Christmas soaking up some sun. The “Desperate Housewives” alum posted bikini snaps via Instagram Thursday while “out of office” with her family. In one shot, the actress, 49, walked toward the camera in a navy blue bathing suit with sunglasses perched on her head. Longoria wore the same swimwear elsewhere in the social media slideshow while sitting and enjoying a meal. She rocked a red dress while posing with her husband, José Bastón, and their 6-year-old son, Santiago, in other photos. The family members took a boat ride, ate chilaquiles and watched the sunset. It is unclear whether Santiago and her loved ones were on a tropical trip or at one of their homes in Mexico and Spain. The former soap star sparked confusion in November when she spoke to Marie Claire about “escap[ing]” the United States after Donald Trump’s election win . “I’m privileged,” she said at the time. “I get to ... go somewhere. Most Americans aren’t so lucky. They’re going to be stuck in this dystopian country, and my anxiety and sadness is for them.” Longoria explained that she “felt like [her] chapter [in Hollywood] was done” after the COVID-19 pandemic. Later that same week, she called Ana Navarro while the “View” co-host was recording the talk show’s “Behind the Table” podcast to clarify that she “didn’t leave [the country] because of the political environment.” The Golden Globe nominee asked, “Will you please let them know I didn’t move out of the United States because of Trump ?” Before calling herself a “proud American,” she described moving with Bastón, 56, and Santiago because “work took” her away. Longoria and the businessman have been married since May 2016 . Their baby boy was born two years later.
Lignocellulosic Market Size, Driving Factors, Competitive Landscape And Forecast To 2034-2031 |Edited by Jude Blanchette of CSIS and Hal Brands of SAIS, the Marshall Papers is a series of essays that probes and challenges the assessments underpinning the U.S. approach to great power rivalry. The papers will be rigorous yet provocative, continually pushing the boundaries of intellectual and policy debates. In this Marshall Paper, Ford Hart argues that Chinese Communist Party (CCP) political institutions, the CCP’s practical behavior, and continued veneration of Marxism-Leninism in the CCP constitution highlight the Soviet model’s deep influence on Beijing. As such, lessons from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) can help us understand the CCP’s approach to governance today. Soviet-origin governing institutions and processes exert enduring influence on the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Its substantially imported political structure arguably has at least as much practical impact on Beijing’s behavior as the ideology it also imported from Moscow. While the PRC is not a carbon copy of the USSR, Soviet lessons still have much to teach observers about Chinese governance. PRC policy shifts over the past two decades have reinforced the relevance of these lessons, and the increased opacity of the Chinese political system makes it necessary to exploit all available tools to assess its behavior. The Soviet experience illuminates, for instance, the impact of the Leninist apparatus on PRC regime behavior, the challenges for understanding China, and the future of its political system. Key insights include the following: The Soviet model is not China’s destiny; it is only one of several factors that have shaped PRC history and will continue to influence its future. Nonetheless, understanding it is indispensable to making sense of China’s behavior and prospects for change. The CCP embraces a Leninist apparatus that exhibits strong continuity with the party-state transferred to Beijing by the Bolsheviks and the Soviet Union between the early 1920s and 1950s. Vladimir Ilyich Lenin pioneered its operating norms before the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution and led the system’s improvisational build-out during its early years in power. Other Soviet leaders, especially Joseph Stalin, contributed to its development. Leninist regimes—especially the surviving communist states (China, North Korea, Laos, Vietnam, and Cuba) and the two former European ones established principally through indigenous struggle (the USSR and Yugoslavia)—represent a category of authoritarianism with characteristic institutions and processes that manifest recurring patterns of behavior. (The Leninist regimes of other East European communist states were largely external creations that ended with the USSR’s demise.) All authoritarian regimes are repressive, and some practices of Leninist regimes are common among them, but most of them are not Leninist. A Leninist system features an authoritarian regime in which the ruling elite monopolizes political power in the name of a revolutionary ideology through a highly articulated party structure that parallels, penetrates, and dominates the state at all levels and extends to workplaces, residential areas, and local institutions. Party members are subject to strict discipline and ideological indoctrination, regardless of whether they work in the party apparatus or, like most, outside it. In its struggle to seize and then hold power, the Bolshevik Party pioneered hallmark institutions long familiar to outside observers: a Central Committee, a secretariat with specialized departments (e.g., propaganda, personnel, and internal discipline), and a supreme leadership body at the very center commonly known as the Politburo—all mirrored at subordinate levels. From the capital to the most distant locality, a Leninist party controls leadership appointments and transfers not merely within itself and the state but also among the military and security forces, the economy, academia, the media, the arts, religious institutions, social organizations, and beyond. Classic Soviet operational practices—such as centralization, mobilization, united front operations, and cadre self-criticism—endure in China. A ruling Leninist regime always seeks to maintain robustly coercive security services that are loyal, first and foremost, to the party itself. It also exhibits high levels of intervention in the economy, ranging widely from state capitalism to command economics. Control of the economy is as important to party dominance as it is to overall national strength or the popular welfare. The foundations of CCP ideology also came from Moscow. This body of thought combined a Marxist, class-based economic interpretation of history progressing inexorably toward utopia, Lenin’s own theoretical revisions to Marxism, and, crucial to governance, his advocacy of an elite revolutionary party’s unique role in leading the masses. To a ruling communist party, Marxism-Leninism’s single greatest ideological value may well be in granting the secular equivalent of divine right rule through its role as the sole interpreter of “laws” of history. Karl Marx’s thoughts on social and economic justice remained enormously appealing, but it was Lenin’s ruthless pragmatism that enabled communist regimes to seize and hold onto power. Chinese communists learned from Moscow that although the content of the ideology could vary substantially, its mere existence was functionally vital to the party’s survival. It is telling that while communist regimes around the world have extensively revised their ideologies, they have been less liberal in modifying core structures, norms, and processes.
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile has appealed to the country’s top leaders to cease their ongoing verbal clashes, citing the need to prioritize the nation’s stability over personal differences. “I think the less we talk about that, the better. My God, we are one country, one people,” Enrile told reporters in an ambush interview Tuesday night. “We have to fight our political debates in a very straightforward manner. Let us cool it down, cool it down for the sake of the country,” he said. Enrile was referring to the escalating word war between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte. The former Senate president‘s reaction was sought after he accepted a Senate resolution honoring him for his contributions to the country. Sponsored by Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, the resolution honored Enrile for his untiring service and contributions to the country and the Filipino people. “This is a man who is not only an eyewitness to the many historic events of our nation but who actually took part and actually shaped them,” Escudero said in his sponsorship speech. Enrile was also part of the Cabinet of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Lacson urges de-escalation Former senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson also called for the de-escalation of tensions between the country’s two top leaders, stressing that the political instability has a negative effect on the economy. “While the perennial warmongers whose pastime is to make their day complete with their passion for gossip and entertainment be it between showbiz couples or political allies resulting in intense conflict and their eventual irreconcilable separation, the majority of us who are sober and discerning feel sad and concerned how this development could affect the future of our country,” Lacson said. He said one potential negative effect of prolonged tensions between the two highest officials would be to discourage potential investors from pursuing their planned investments or to have second thoughts about doing business in the Philippines. “Let’s all help each other. We have undergone several challenges in the past. And we were able to pull through. All conflicts, challenges and issues can be resolved,” he said. “We must all bear in mind that the great Singaporean leader Lee Kwan Yew once said: ‘When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers,’” Lacson added. Bishop calls for prayers Amid the rift between two powerful political clans — the Marcoses and the Dutertes — a bishop has called on the public to “pray for our political leaders.” In a statement on Wednesday, Cardinal Jose Advincula, Archbishop of Manila, lamented that the “brewing political storm that our political leaders are facing has drained their energy to serve those in most need and the neglected.” Advincula noted that the current events in the country “have been disconcerting” as many Filipinos were still reeling from the onslaught of the successive typhoons. “I humbly exhort you all to pray for them that they may receive the grace to exercise statesmanship in these most trying times so that sobriety may prevail in our land and political issues and personal interests may not divide the nation,” Advincula said. “It is our prayer that they may have the humility to listen to each other with respect and act together for the sake of the country,” he added. The prelate also asked the leaders “from different sectors of our society to do what they can to prevent the escalation of political and personal conflicts.” “Let us all pray for forgiveness and reconciliation, never doubting God’s grace and love for His people,” Advincula said. “In Jesus, the Good Shepherd, I entrust you all who are called to serve the common good. May Almighty God bless our beloved country,” he said. Decorum at EDSA Shrine On Tuesday, Rev. Fr. Jerome Secillano, rector of the EDSA Shrine called for proper decorum as hundreds gathered in the sacred place “for reasons known only to them, and for some, unknown to them.” This after several Duterte loyalists urged fellow supporters to hold their own people power movement to express their dissatisfaction with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration. On Tuesday, the National Bureau of Investigation summoned Vice President Sara Duterte for questioning over her weekend statements that she had contracted someone to assassinate Marcos if she were killed. Meanwhile, Marcos said in a national address on Monday that he would fight “reckless and troubling threats” against him and would not allow such criminal attempts to pass, without naming Duterte.Students who are interested in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) enjoy visiting Selfridge Military Air Museum and the volunteers who show them around love it when they do. “The field of aviation is well suited for the study of STEAM objectives,” Selfridge Military Air Museum Executive Director Steven Mrozek said, in a news release announcing that the museum has received $2,500 from the Consumer Energy Foundation. The grant presented on behalf of Consumers Energy’’s Veteran’s Advisory Panel business employee resource group will help to support the programs offered by the museum’s new Aviation Education Center. “Ensuring Michigan’s students have access to the opportunities and programs that can educate and prepare them for the jobs of tomorrow is critical not only to the future success of our state, but to their development as people” said Cathy Wilson, secretary/treasurer of the Consumers Energy Foundation. “We’re proud to provide this grant to support the Selfridge program and look forward to seeing how it benefits kids across the state.” The Consumer Energy Foundation grant follows a $25,000 Ralph C. Wilson Trustee Program Grant that was given to the museum that sits on the grounds of Selfridge Air National Guard base in Harrison Township over the summer. The remarkable 106-year-history of the base and the museum’s collection of military aircraft, artifacts and interactive activities provide a wonderful background to its educational programming. The Consumers Energy Foundation is the charitable arm of Consumers Energy. The Foundation contributes to the growth and strengthening of Michigan communities. In 2023, the Consumers Energy Foundation, Consumers Energy, its employees and retirees contributed over $11 million to Michigan nonprofits. “Our focus will be primarily on aeronautical engineering and aviation technology and introducing students to the science of flight,” said Mrozek, a U.S. Army Veteran from Fraser and former national historian for the 82nd Airborne Division Association, whose military experience and passion for history adds to the experience students get during their visits to the museum. In fact, that’s the beauty of the program, all of the volunteers have a connection to museum’s history and a story to tell. The Selfridge Military Air Museum is on the grounds of Selfridge Air National Guard base in Harrison Township. In addition to educational programming volunteers at the museum provide tours and other programs for the public. Those looking to visit the museum are urged to visit the museum’s website at least a week in advance for additional details such as admission costs and assistance for base access. For more information visit selfridgeairmuseum.org . For more information about the Consumers Energy Foundation, visit ConsumersEnergy.com/foundation .
Over the last couple of months, there have been recalls of millions of pounds of meat for listeria concerns and of carrots for potential E. coli contamination . Searches for “recalled ground beef” are trending on Google while some on social media are claiming that hundreds of thousands of pounds of ground beef have been recalled. THE QUESTION Is there a ground beef recall for potential E. coli contamination? THE SOURCES U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Minnesota Department of Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) THE ANSWER Yes, there is a ground beef recall for potential E. coli contamination, but the recalled meat was not sold in grocery stores. WHAT WE FOUND Wolverine Packing Co. is recalling about 167,277 pounds of ground beef products due to potential E. coli contamination, according to a Nov. 20 announcement from the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) . The recalled beef is not sold in stores. The FSIS says the beef was shipped to restaurant locations nationwide. The FSIS did not name the restaurants where the beef was distributed. Restaurants can identify the recalled beef by looking for establishment number “EST. 2574B” inside the USDA mark of inspection. Fresh products have a “use by” date of 11/14/2024, and frozen products have a production date of 10 22 24. The FSIS has shared a list of product labels for the recalled beef. The FSIS says the problem was discovered after the Minnesota Department of Agriculture notified them of a group of people who reported eating ground beef before becoming sick. On Nov. 15, the Minnesota Department of Health urged people to contact their healthcare provider if they ate a hamburger at a table-service restaurant anytime after Oct. 31 and developed diarrhea, particularly bloody diarrhea. At the time, the Minnesota Department of Health reported that infected people ate the contaminated meat between Oct. 31 and Nov. 7. The FSIS said all 15 reported infections so far have been in Minnesota. E. coli is a kind of bacteria that can be found in many places, including the intestines of people and animals. Most kinds of E. coli are harmless and part of a healthy intestinal tract, but some E. coli can make people sick with diarrhea, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, sepsis and other illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . The kind of E. coli found in the contaminated beef can cause dehydration, stomach cramps that last two to eight days and diarrhea that is often bloody, according to the FSIS, although the Minnesota Department of Health also notes that patients usually have no fever or a low-grade fever. Most people recover in five to 10 days, but about 5% of infections lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe complication that involves acute kidney failure, the Minnesota Department of Health says. HUS can occur to people of any age, but is most common in older adults and children under 5 years old, the FSIS says. Symptoms include easy bruising, pale skin and decreased urine output. People who experience these symptoms should immediately seek emergency medical care.
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